11 Gluten-Free Vegan Ramen Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What do vegans add to ramen? ›

Chia seeds! They don't add much flavor, but they're a good source of omega 3s and protein. I also like to throw in miso paste, mushrooms, leftover veggies, tofu, and hot peppers.

Traditional ramen noodles are not gluten-free, but you can find gluten-free alternatives made from rice, potato, millet, or other gluten-free flours online—you may even be able to find them at your local grocery store in the global or international food aisle. Be sure to buy ramen noodles labeled gluten-free.

Vegan ramen can indeed be a healthy meal when it's made from nutritious ingredients. The dish overall is well-balanced containing carbohydrates, protein, fibre, some healthy fats and a good amount of vitamins and minerals. As the vegetables are lightly steamed they hold on to their nutritional benefits well.

Roasted sweet potatoes make a good topping while also thickening up the broth and giving it a rich, creamy texture when combined with pureed roasted garlic.

The main source of protein in their vegan ramen noodles comes from pumpkin seed protein. Many athletes use their ramen noodles because of the protein content. To spruce my ramen bowls up, I added charred and steamed bell peppers and baby bok choy. You could also add my smoky tofu if you really want this high protein!

Most miso paste—the main ingredient in miso soup—is gluten free because the koji used is made with rice. But some miso paste, such as mugi miso, uses koji made with barley. And some packaged miso soup may also contain wheat gluten to give it body.

Soy sauce is traditionally made with wheat and soy, making the name “soy sauce” slightly misleading. The sauce is typically made by combining soy and crushed wheat and allowing the two to ferment for several days in a salty brine containing mold cultures (2). Therefore, most soy sauces contain gluten from the wheat.

Is miso paste gluten free? Like most other prepared foods that don't contain flour, miso paste is gluten free if it's prepared in a safe, gluten free environment and is made without gluten-containing grains. Miso paste, when made from any sort of beans and fermented rice, is gluten free.

Edamame, any kind of meat or tofu, any veggies -- spinach, peas, carrots, broccoli. And you could do a hard boiled egg on the side instead of in the soup. Tofu is really great if you press it, slice or cube it, and marinate it. You can throw it into any soup or wherever you want extra protein and flavor.

Vegan and plant based dishes, including ramen, have lots of flavorful ingredients that impart their flavor into the dish. This is why they're generally better since they don't need sodium-rich additives to flavor them as most meats do.

What is the unhealthiest part of ramen? ›

Ramen is not inherently unhealthy, but the flavor packet provided in instant ramen does contain high amounts of sodium. Diets high in sodium are associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke and heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's typically made with a base stock, miso paste, tofu, soba noodles, and various vegetables. Many varieties of miso soup are vegan, unless the recipe uses fish-derived ingredients, in which case it could suit a pescatarian diet or vegetarian diet that allows seafood.

Shio is considered a healthier ramen because of the thinner broth. Instead of the flavor from fat in the liquid, it comes from salt and other seasonings. Keep it low in calories by minimizing the fatty toppings or adding more vegetables to your noodles.

Why Most Ramen Broth Is Not Vegan. Ramen broth traditionally relies on non-vegan dashi stock for its savory flavor. Made from bonito (tuna), kelp, mushrooms, and sardines, dashi serves as the base for other Japanese broths, including non-vegan miso.

In and of themselves, traditional ramen noodles are vegan. They're just wheat, salt, and water. That said, there are some things you might want to look out for. To begin with, the broth might contain meat ingredients.

Edamame, any kind of meat or tofu, any veggies -- spinach, peas, carrots, broccoli. And you could do a hard boiled egg on the side instead of in the soup. Tofu is really great if you press it, slice or cube it, and marinate it. You can throw it into any soup or wherever you want extra protein and flavor.

Top Ramen's chili flavored ramen is also vegetarian and vegan, though it is not as common as the Soy Sauce flavor. But be careful! Make sure you don't accidentally purchase Maruchan Original flavor, which is also in a blue package but is NOT vegetarian.